If You Walk Away, I'll Walk Away
by iRegularL7Square
Summary: When Sasuke left so did Sakura... but she didn't chase after him... she went to fulfill her destiny as a true shinobi. When she comes back four years later she meets up with some people from her past that she didn't expect to ever see again. GaaSaku.
1. Chapter 1

If You Walk Away I'll Walk Away

The Return

**Summary: When Sasuke left so did Sakura... but she didn't chase after him... she went to fulfill her destiny as a true shinobi. She went to train with her original master in her old village. When Sakura comes back to Konoha to re-take the chunin exams four years later she meets up with some people from her past that she didn't expect to ever see again.**

**Authors Note: The village she originally comes from is from Full Metal Alchemist and so does her original master Dante but FMA is not part of the story otherwise, like there's no alchemy or anything like that.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the idea...**

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When you live in a village that is always at war then as a child you have no chance of surviving. In such cases they train you to protect yourself, to become a murder if you have to. That was the case for Sakura Haruno.

She was born in a large village, though not as big as a lot of the major ones. The village was called Ishbal, its inhabitants Ishbalins. She was trained almost since birth to be strong and to survive no matter what, because alive was always better than dead... at least that what she was taught. She had faced many obstacles in her short life and by the time she was 7 she had become an exceptional shinobi, although she had no proof to it seeing as she had taken no test to rank her skills.

Her master Dante was a legendary ninja, but she had a life threatening illness and would die a young death. Upon hearing this for the first time she decided she would have an apprentice so she picked just-born Sakura for the "job". She chose this young girl, who had no training and no extraordinary traits, because she had no family and no one would miss her. That would mean that Dante would become her mother. Also she chose her because she had a certain... air about her. Dante could tell, even at that young age, that Sakura would be a determined girl and would never give up.

And so Sakura became the apprentice of Dante and was brought up on the mentallity that if she should ever fail then she was worthless and Dante would hate her for it. Perfection was the only option for her all of the time that she trained with the woman who had raised her.

But, when the village of Ishbal went to war everyone had to evacuate. They went to allying villages, but only certain people to certain places. the village where Sakura was sent to, Khonoha, only wanted children because they were in need of young ninjas for the chunin exams. So Sakura went there and seperated from Dante, but before she left Dante told her, "When the time is right I will come for you and you will be the greatest ninja of all. Perhaps even better than I." With those final words she left, leaving Sakura to find her own way to live in this strange new place.

Four years later, in her twelfth year, she was training to become a chunin. She had been accepted by the village and most had forgotten that she was an outsider to begin with. She was accepted but had no one to really connect with. Until she saw Sasuke Uchiha.

Sasuke was a beautiful boy who had dark troubled eyes that were full of hate and longing. Sakura immediately fell in love with him when she first saw him. Just like all of the other girls. But she had actual reasons for loving him the way she did. She knew what it meant to suffer, for she had all her life with Dante, and so she thought that they could connect in a way he could not with any of the other girls.

This, however, was not the case. He rejected her, and called her annoying, saying that she was just like all of the other girls and that she could and would never understand anything about him. The thing was Sasuke wanted to kill his older brother Itachi, because Itachi killed his whole family and left Sasuke alive because he wasn't "worth his time". For that Sasuke's whole life was devoted to gaining power to kill his S Class Criminal brother.

She still loved him even after all of his cruelty and tried to show him she was good enough. But she always had to hold back. She had always been afraid to show her full strength because she was paranoid. She thought that if everyone knew how powerful she was they would hate her. So she held back always. Even when she wanted to show Sasuke she was good enough for him she had to pretend.

When she was put on a team with Sasuke to train for missions and exams she was thrilled. But she was also put on the same team as Naruto Uzumaki, the kid who liked her. She didn't like him back of course, she was in love with Sasuke, so she always turned him down and was mean to him. He also was a troubled youth. He had a demon inside of him and was an outcast to the village, a social moron. But that didn't stop him from being friendly and happy all the time. In fact it made him even more determined to reach his lifes goal. He wanted to be Hokage one day. And all of the insults and negativity just amde him want to show people just what he could do. So he worked hard for it and hated Sasuke for having all of his talent naturally and for being loved by the village.

Sakura resented Naruto for being so hateful to Sasuke, after everything he had been through, but she completely forgot about Naruto's feelings. All she cared about was Sasuke and it was because of this obsession that she lost her best friend Ino.

Ino had been the first person to b nice to her. She said that Sakura would become a beautiful flower one day and that she would always be there. But on the day that Sakura fell in love with Sasuke Ino ended their friendship. Ino said that Sasuke was hers and that Sakura had no right to love him. Sakura was outraged so she just stopped talking to Ino. This rivalry lasted all the way through their ninja academy days and even after the chunin exams.

The chunin exams were a big test where all of the young genin from the neighboring countries came to become chunin, the second level of ninja. Sakura's team took the test. The first stage was a written exam. The score for the test was based on the combined score of all three team members and also on the tenth and final question. On the last question they were asked if they would stay for the final question. It was all a mind game and if you said you would stay then you passes the whole first test, regardless your score on the rest of the test.

The second part was an endurance test in the forest of death, where they had to collect two scrolls and make it to the center tower in the set time. While in the forest they met, or rather fought, Orochimaru, a snake man that wanted eternal youth and life. He marked Sasuke to become his new body and made his followers, the team from the village of sound, fight them. Sasuke's curse mark gave him the strength to fight them off and make it through the second part.

Before the third test they had a preliminary round. Sakura had to fight Ino in this part of the test. She didn't want to hurt her old friend so she decided to lose on purpose, but what she didn't expect was that she'd actually tie with the girl. But that was what happened.

Toward the end of the prelims a boy named Gaara had to fight a boy name Lee. The Gaara boy was a bloodthirsty killer. He only fought to take lives, not to measure his strength. And that excited Sakura. She had grown up in a place where you had to kill to stay alive and so the concept of a blood lusting boy didn't frighten her. It, in fact, drew her closer to him.

Gaara won the match against Lee and advanced to the next round, but the only bad part was he was up against Sasuke who was currently in the hospital.

The finalists had a month to prepare for the final exam. She visited Sasuke often but never got to see him because after the first week he disappeared. She also visited Lee who was in the hospital too. But during the whole month she couldn't help but watch Gaara. She watched him train, watched him stay awake all night, and watched him struggle with his inner demon. She wanted nothing more than to go and comfort him, but she felt as though nothing she did could help. Also, she kept reminding herself, she loved Sasuke and that would be betraying him, right?

But then again it's not like she would be doing anything bad right? She ended up just shaking the thoughts off and stayed at a distance. By the time the month had passes she was filled with confusing emotions and thoughts. She ignored them best as she could but there was always that little nagging in her mind.

As she sat in the audience for the final exam she grew nervous. Sasuke hadn't showed up yet and his match was getting close. She waited and her stomach tightened until she thought the muscles might snap and still Sasuke didn't show.

The time for Gaara and Sasuke's match was at hand. The Kazekage gave Sasuke more time to show up and eventually he did. The battle was intense and Gaara started to change into his demon form. In the end Suna attacked Konoha and Sasuke had to track down Gaara and fight him. Naruto and Sakura followed him with the help of their master's dog and Gaara tried to kill Sakura. In the end Naruto ended up saving everyone.

Most everyone failed the exams because of the attack and afterwards the Hokage died. They had to go find a new Hokage and ended up getting Tsunade, a medic nin. And Sasuke grew power hungry.

A little while after everything was back to "normal" Orochimaru returned and Sasuke had to chose to stay or go with him. He chose to leave. Sakura was devastated. She ran after Sasuke and tried to get him to stay. She confessed her love for him and he left her unconscious on a bench.

When she woke up she had a feeling in her heart. It was a message that she knew was from Dante. It was time for Sakura to come home and leave this false life behind.

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**Authors Note: Okay I hope you don't mind all of the explanation. I'm just trying to make sure it's clear enough for you all. Anyways R&R for me and tell me if I should continue or not. Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

If You Walk Away I'll Walk Away

The News

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**Authors Note: Okay, so this starts four years later, which means everyone (Sakura, Gaara, Sasuke, etc...) is sixteen.**

"Talking"

_"Thinking"_

_**'Inner Sakura'**_

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Sakura fell to the ground in a bloody heap. Sitting up she sighed and shook her head. _"Dammit, why can't I beat him?" _She thought to herself as she got up and stood in a fighting stance again.

"That's enough for now Sakura. Come over here so I can heal your wounds and then you can go clean up." called Dante from the balcony she was standing on. Sakura dropped her position and walked to the door of the circular training room. She walked up the stairs that lead to the second floor and sat down on a bench behind Dante.

As she pulled off her jacket and and over shirt Dante stared thoughtfully across the ground. "You know," she began slowly, as though she were measuring her words carefully, "The chunin exams are soon..." she trailed off and look back at Sakura. The expression on the younger girl's face was a mix between pain and vicious anger.

_"Chunin exams," _thought Sakura bitterly. _"That brings back memories..." __**"Yeah, of people who should never be thought of again!" **_Her inner self screamed angrily. Mentally wincing she put a hand to the side of her head to try and ease the pain from the loud noise. _"Will you shut up?" __**"No! That old woman wouldn't just bring up the exams if she didn't want us to have something to do with them so I'm staying until I find out what it is."**_

Closing her eyes, Sakura leaned back against the wall the bench was pushed against and waited for Dante to say what she was saying and heal her so she could go take a shower. Finally, Dante turned to face Sakura.

"I want you to take the exams." She said bluntly.

Faced with this new found news a million thoughts whirled in her head. Most revolved about a pair os stoic young boys, their pictures in her minds eyes getting blurred together in a mix of inky blue and blood red. And with all these thoughts all she could say was, "I don't have a team."

Dante smiled a slight smile and said, "That will be no problem. They're doing the exams a little _differently _this year." She said with an amused tone and Sakura got the feeling she was missing some key fact. Before she could ask about it though Dante walked over to her and started healing her. When she was through about a half a hour later she said, "Thank you Sakura, for doing this."

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**Authors Note: Rather short, no? Don't worry this was only a filler chapter to tell you what's going on... The next one will come **_**soon **_**and it WILL be longer, I promise. r&r for me. Thanks.**


	3. Chapter 3

**If You Walk Away, I'll Walk Away**

Town

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

Walking through the streets of Konoha Sakura felt an odd sense of nostalgia. She had lived here for four years of her life... she had many memories, although only few were good. Shaking off the feeling she hung her head and walked with her eyes to the ground and her mind blank.

Dante was walking beside her. They were on their way to the Hokage tower to register for the chunin exams. "You know Sakura, if you keep walking like that you're going to run into something." Dante said in a slightly amused tone.

Sakura wrinkled her nose and lifted her head. Blinking slowly she looked around her. "Oh," she gasped. Standing right across the street from her was a boy she had only ever dreamed about. It was the beautiful boy with the red hair and green eyes. And he was staring straight at her. She was paralized.

_"What do I do?" _She thought frantically, panicking inside her head. _**"Please, calm down. What aere you even worrying about anyways?" **_Her inner self said with mild disgust. The question struck he as a surprise. What _was _she worried about? He was just a simple boy who she had practically stalked the last time she saw him. What was the big deal?

Just as these thoughts crossed her mind she felt a tug on her arm and her body being jerked. She snapped out of her thoughts and followed Dante to the tower.

One they got there they headed up to the Hokage's office and waited to meet with her. Eventually her secretary Shizune led them in and they sat in the chairs in front of her massive desk.

The Hokage stared at Sakura with a mixture of disappointment and hurt. Then she pursed her lips and looked at Dante. "So you want Sakura to join the exams this year." She stated. Dante merely nodded and stared at her, waiting. "Alright." Tsunade finally said, and she stood up. "You can stay in one of the hotels until I assign you a team." She directed this at Sakura.

Dante stood and bowed. When Sakura followed suit they left the room and exited the tower. Once on the street in front of said building Dante turned to Sakura. She had a strange glint in her eyes as she said, "Sakura, I have things to do in town. I don't want you to go to the hotel without me so why don't you just hang around and, oh I don't know, catch up with old friends."

Sakura could say nothing due to the surprise, so Dante walked away, leaving a wide-eyed Sakura in the middle of the street.

_"Why is she making me do this?" _Sakura thought miserably. She had seen many of her old "friends" from the academy you went to before you got your teams. None of them saw her though. She had been looking at them from a distance, but still she could tell that they were all so happy. Sighing, she sat down on a bench to think. _"Dante knows I really don't have friends here. . . Maybe she just wanted to make me suffer." _She thought with a bitter smile.

"Ugh, what am I going to do all day?" she said, frustrated.

"Well," she heard a high-pitched voice behind her. "You could always walk around town with your ex-best friend." Sakura turned and saw Ino Yamanaka standing behind the bench with her arms crossed and a smug grin plastered to her face.

**Authors Note: Well, I hope you liked it, r&r for me. Thanks. **


	4. Chapter 4

**If You Walk Away I'll Walk Away**

Lovely Outing and A Nervous Ino

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

_"Thinking"_

_**"Inner Sakura or Shukaku"**_

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So here I am on this bench looking back behind me only to find the girl who had been my most hated enemy, Ino Yamanaka. Now, I can assure that I was less than thrilled at the thought of walking around town with her all day. I mean, if you just hear how annoying her voice was. . . Uhh, it sent a pain to my head.

"Well?" She said in that high-pitched whine impatiently. She tapped her foot a little and said, "Come on Sakura, don't be so stuck up."

I snapped out of my thoughts of strangling the life out of her and said "Sure." in a bored monotone voice.

She smiled that weird way that she used to smile when she was about to do something bad to me and said, "Well, lets go to the Ramen Shop. Everyone hangs out there."

So I stood up, stretched my legs and followed her.

While we walked she kept on looking back at me, steeling glances. Now, I'm not one to brag but while I had been training with Dante I had gotten into good shape, and I had grown into my forehead.

I really didn't care about looks but I knew that I was prettier than Ino was.

She had grown her hair long again and, besides that, she look the same as she did four years ago. But me... Well that's another story.

These days I took to wearing my bangs long and parted down the middle, slightly hanging in front of my face, and the rest of my hair just a little longer. My hair all together went about to my shoulder blades.

I had grown tall and thin, but not like model thin. I was always training and doing missions so I had all muscle, but not like over bulky muscles. Just the kind that give you a nice body is all. I _was_ proud of that fact.

So anyway here we are walking down the street, me just staring blankly ahead and her trying to be all sneaky snake and look at me without me noticing.

When we finally get to the Ramen Shop all I can see is an empty booth. I glance over at Ino and see her biting her lip. "Th- they'll be her soon." She stuttered nervously.

_"What was all that about?" _I asked myself. _**"Yeah, why is she acting so weird?"**_ My inner self answered in a perplexed voice. I decided to just shrug it off for the moment while we waited.

So about ten minutes later we're still standing there, waiting for "them" to show up when suddenly Ino says, "So Sakura how have you been?" She looked scared and nervous and she spoke fast as though the words burned her lips.

I shrugged and looked to the sky. "I've been okay I guess." I said in a thoughtful tone. The truth was I had been through hell training with Dante.

Dante was a masochistic woman who liked to torture me just so she could hear the scream and see my pain. She always sent me on missions that would put me through the wringer physically and mentally. I had become close to crazy in those four years that I trained with her.

I grimaced slightly at the thought of my recent training. Looking over at Ino from the corner of my eyes I asked, "What's been going on with you since I left?"

Her eyes bulged and she said, "W-well I've been okay. Nothing bad has happened since. . ." She trailed off.

"Since the Chunin Exams." I finished for her. She put her head down and nodded.

_"What is wrong with her?!" _I yelled inside my head. _**"Maybe she ran into Dante on her way to get you for this oh so lovely outing." **_My inner self mused. I snorted and shook my head.

I looked over at her again to ask another question when I heard a familiar voice behind me.

"Hey Sakura long time no see. . ."

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**So yeah that's the end of yet anther short chapter. I hope you all enjoy it.**


	5. Chapter 5

If You Walk Away, I'll Walk Away

Neighborhood Nothings

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

"_Thinking. . ._"

"_**Inner Sakura. . ."**_

**(---)**

**Recap: **. . . I grimaced slightly at the thought of my recent training. Looking over at Ino from the corner of my eyes I asked, "What's been going on with you since I left?"

Her eyes bulged and she said, "W-well I've been ok. Nothing bad has happened since. . ." She trailed off.

"Since the Chunin Exams." I finished for her. She put her head down and nodded.

_"What is wrong with her?!" _I yelled inside my head. _**"Maybe she ran into Dante on her way to get you for this oh so lovely outing." **_My inner self mused. I snorted and shook my head.

I looked over at her again to ask another question when I heard a familiar voice behind me.

"Hey Sakura long time no see. . ."

**(---)**

My whole body went cold. I sat still for a long time before turning to see his face. And when I saw it I was surprised. There he was, exactly as I remembered him, maybe a little taller, but the same.

* * *

"Hey Sasuke. . ." I said in a monotone to hide my shock. What was he doing back in the village? He was a traitor. He should have been banished. . . What was going on here?!

* * *

"So Sakura," Sasuke said, "Why are you back in the village? Come to beg me to love you again?" He said and smirked.

* * *

"_Oh my god, the nerve! Ugh!" _"_**We should kill him. . . You know we can. . . " **_"_I don't want to get into trouble. Dante would be mad. She might kill _me." "_**Well, whatever. You know he deserves it." **_"_That may be true but. . . I don't know, maybe we _could _kill him."_

I grinned at the last thought. It would be easy. He probably still thinks of me as a weak sniveling child. I could leap up and. . .

* * *

My thoughts were cut off by Sasuke saying something else, though I'm not sure what. When I looked back at him his arm was around Ino and she was blushing. Obviously they were a couple.

* * *

I stood and said, "Well, I'm so happy for the two of you, but if you'll excuse me I've got to go see a man about a horse."

**---**

Alright, so after the whole Sasuke incident I walked away and just wandered around town. I ended up in my old neighborhood. So I'm standing here, just looking around.

* * *

It amazes me that, even with me gone, this place can look the same. It's as though nothing ever happened. And maybe nothing has.

* * *

**(---)**

**Authors Note: Sorry!!!!!! This chapter is extremely short. But they will get better. I'm just trying to catch up. So. . . R&R!!!!!!!!**


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